Like We Used To
by consequ3nce
Summary: What happens when Mike returns to Lima after leaving for college to see Tina holding hands with Artie?


**A/N: This is my first fanfic! I hope this is good. Please tell me what you think. I'm sorry if it's really bad considering I wrote it at 1 A.M. Hope you enjoy the Tike angst.**

After Mike had graduated from McKinley High a year before his high school sweetheart, they decided that it would be best to take a break. Contact was lost over the next year... That was until he took the long visit from New York City back to Lima. While driving through the wet, musty streets of Lima, Mike spotted an unlikely couple walking down the street, completely engrossed with each other. Never would have he thought that he would see those brightly colored highlights holding hands with the boy in the wheelchair. Instead of stopping along the streets to question, or rather scream, at them; Mike turned his radio on at full blast as a familiar melody took charge of the atmosphere.

_Does he watch your favorite movies? Does he hold you when you cry?_

Every first Friday of the month, Tina had sworn it to be Movie Night for the two of them. They would alternate on who would decide on what they would be seeing together. Sometimes it would be a scary movie, under the selection of Mike, to woo Tina into his arms whether it was obvious or not. On the other hand, it would occasionally be a random foreign film that obtained no interest except less of a distraction for their lips.

Mike's knuckles knocked against the hard wooden entrance to the Cohen-Chang household, and when Tina swung the door open with swollen red eyes, he knew something was wrong immediately. After hours of her sobbing on how bullies had been tormenting her for the last couple months and how she had been trying to stay strong alone, Mike's quick wit came up with a solution to soothe the wounds that hadn't healed over completely. After a few minutes of searching, he came up with her favorite movie, _A Walk to Remember_, in his hands. "Are you up for it?" he asked with a soft, rasp voice. Her teary eyes and quick bobbing head were enough to say that he had gotten this one right. Leaning into steal a quick kiss, he whispered against her lips, "You're like Jamie in a sense. You're so beautiful and kind, but yet, nobody appreciates it. Luckily, I'm exactly like Landon in the sense that I know true beauty when I see it."

_Does he let you tell him all your favorite parts when you've see it a million times?_

"Wait... Watch this. This is the part where Sebastian comes out and starts singing. I don't see how they can be so oblivious," Tina whispered to Mike in the dark room. Rolling his eyes, it was hard for him to prevent his grin from growing even wider. Every time that they would watch the Little Mermaid, she would have to remind him of all the scenes she found cute and amusing. Most guys would be upset with the reoccurring movie pick, but Mike enjoyed it. The look on her face when the climax hit with her large, brown eyes was worth it all. It was like watching a young girl that you've fallen in love with swoon over something other than yourself. He might've have gotten tired of The Little Mermaid but Tina's expressions made it worth every second of his time. Taking her by the hip, Mike pulled her farther into his arms and whispered an almost silent, "Kiss the girl," before placing his lips onto the corner of hers.

_Does he sing to all your music while you dance to Purple Rain? _

"Cmon, Mike!" Tina exclaimed when she threw her iPod over to him to catch. What started off as a stress reliever was turning into almost a daily routine, not that he was complaining. After school, he would drive her to his house to work on homework while his parents weren't in. One day, she decided that it would be a clever idea if they switched the roles, but she ended up liking it a bit too much. The way her body moved in time to the rhythm of the music and the off-key tone of his voice was hypnotizing though. It blew his mind how she could not only sing like an angel but could also dance like a diva. Tina was perfect in every way in his mind and if this pleased her, then he would sing until his voice grew hoarse and tired. Even then, he would still make an effort, just for his Asian Princess.

Taking a death breath, Mike started in on a random part of the chorus along with Tina's hips swaying to his voice. He became lost in the song immediately and she was the only thing that he could see in the room.

_Does he do all these things like I used to?_

It was too late to take her back though. He had left her in the dust with his dancing shoes. When he had left Artie had filled in for him, to Mike's dismay. All that was left were memories and nothing would be the same. He had let the sweet, shy Asian girl from his AP Chemistry class get away. Never would he get a chance to win her again without a hefty battle. Not that he wouldn't be willing to take up the challenge, but to put her in so much agony and pain again. The aching in his chest to see her so happy with another guy was bad enough but with Artie, the one who initially broke her heart, it was just plain insulting. Thoughts were flowing in his head and the memories continued on brutally stabbing him in the heart each time.

_14 months and 7 days ago, oh, I know you know how you felt about that night. Just your skin against the window. Oh, you took it slow and we both know..._

One year of faithfulness, cherishing, and love had boiled down to their anniversary at the very place where they first shared a kiss. Their parents had both insisted that they should continue at the camp, so they did as told, not that they were going to reject a full summer together. Sneaking into the room late at night, hand in hand, was risky and they could both get blacklisted for doing this. Mike didn't know if they were going to do anything tonight but he knew that if she didn't want to, then he wouldn't pressure her. They had never really talked about sex directly in their relationship so he didn't know how to approach it. He was shocked after several minutes of making out when Tina started to tug at the hem of his pants. Not hesitating, Mike made sure that she got what she wanted. After a night spent in that room together, he could say that he was glad that waited. This would be around the part where Puckerman would punch him for being a pussy but he couldn't help but grin. Everything had been so perfect. Her icy touch against his blistering skin had been breathtaking and just the way that her moan would release was magical. It was slow but perfectly paced. There was no one that he would rather have that physical connection, nonetheless, see himself with another woman that way. Tina was perfect.

_It should've been me inside that car. It should've been me instead of him in the dark._

Those bright days at Asian Camp were over though and they weren't coming back except to haunt him in his dreams. In his rearview mirror, he could still see their fingers interlocked and her melodious laugh being tossed out into the dusky wind over something he had said to her. The jealously started to overcome his body like his face was actually turning green. He should be the one making her laugh, not him. Tina has always been his, until now.

_Will he love you like I loved you? Will he tell you everyday?_

Never would he see the olive tone in her skin redden because of a corny pickup line or a sweet compliment he whispered in her ear.

_Will he make you feel like you're invincible with every word you say?_

Never would he be allowed to hold her in his arms while she told crazy fairytales of her dreams of starring in Broadway and how she might overcome all the opstacles.

_Can you promise me if this one is right, don't throw it all away._

Never would he make her feel like she was the better half of him. He at least hoped that Artie would make her want to move mountains.

_Can you do all these things, Will you do all these things like we used to?_

"I always love you, Tina," he whispered into the empty, dark car as the tears overran his waterline when the final lyric played. And with that, he was gone.


End file.
